Of general background interest in connection with the present invention are prior art compounds such as .alpha.-(1-R-3-pyrrolidinyl)-.alpha.,.alpha.-diphenylacetamides (and -acetonitriles) and .alpha.-(1-R-3-pyrrolidinyl)-.alpha.-phenyl-.alpha.-(2-pyridyl)acetamides (and -acetonitriles) which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,192,206; 3,192,210; 3,192,221; 3,102,230; and 4,002,766.
Also of interest are the anti-depressant 3-disubstituted methylene pyrrolidines disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,247: ##STR2## wherein R is selected from the grop consisting of hydrogen, lower-alkyl, phenyl-lower-alkyl, substituted phenyl-lower-alkyl, cycloalkyl, phenoxy-lower-alkyl, phenylamino-lower-alkyl, and substituted phenyl, said lower-alkyl being limited to contain 2 to 8 carbon atoms when R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are both phenyl; R.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of lower-alkyl, phenyl-lower-alkyl, cycloalkyl, phenyl and substituted phenyl; and R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of phenyl and substituted phenyl.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,881 discloses a class of .alpha.-(1-R-3-azetidinyl)-.alpha.-phenyl-.alpha.-substituted-acetamides and -acetonitriles corresponding to the following formula: ##STR3## wherein R represents hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower cycloalkyl or phenyl-lower alkyl, R.sup.1 represents phenyl or 2-pyridyl, and Y is carbamoyl or cyano, which compounds exhibit antiarrhythmic activity.
Accordingly, it is a main object of the present invention to provide a novel class of 3-methyleneazetidine compounds which are characterized by one or more pharmacological properties useful for counteracting specific physiological abnormalities in humans and other mammals.
Other objects and advantages shall become apparent from the accompanying description and examples.